The book centers on using Jewish teachings and principles to guide parenting. I admit that I don't know a lot of details about Jewish tradition, but it was written in a way that was very accessible and made a lot of sense as someone from a related faith tradition. There was nothing earth-shattering about the advice given, but what was different was the perspective. Instead of looking at everything in purely psychological terms, explanations were woven with religious teachings and traditions. I appreciated that different point of view.
As the title suggests, the author spends a lot of time suggesting that parents need to teach and instruct more, and protect their children less. That, in protecting our children from failure, pain, and consequences, we actually handicap them because they grow up unable to cope with negative emotions or events.
Has it changed my parenting? Not really. But it did prompt some good discussions between DH and I. And we did make one pretty big change. After the chapter about electronic devices, we decided to observe a stricter form of "Sabbath." Basically, we decided that on Sunday, until sundown, we would not use any electronic gadgets - TV, Internet, cell-phones, iPads, etc. It hasn't been easy, but it has been extremely valuable. It forces us to unplug from the outside world to rest and really enjoy our time together as a family without distraction. We've also tried to make Sunday dinner more special. I don't spend all day cooking or anything, but we take out the good china and light a few candles.
It's a pretty easy read, so check it out if you get the chance.
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